Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Kaman haven't seen much time together due to defensive struggles

Dallas Morning News | Jan 7

Before Saturday's loss, Dirk Nowitzki theorized that the reason he and Chris Kaman haven't played many minutes together since Nowitzki's return "is that Chris and myself both can't guard nobody."

Nowitzki and Kaman started on the front line against New Orleans, with Shawn Marion moving over to small forward. Kaman, however, did not play in the fourth quarter or overtime, finishing with four points and five rebounds in 19 minutes.

"They've got to hold their own [defensively]," coach Rick Carlisle said of the Nowitzki-Kaman tandem. "They have good length. We just have to bring enough physicality to that lineup, with them and with other guys that would be in there with them, to make it work.

"Offensively, it should be a good scoring lineup because both those guys are good offensive players.

"Going forward, we've got to make this work [defensively]. If it turns out that something is a better situation, then we've got to look at it."